THE STABIL1SATIOX OF THE FRANC 245
Our ancestors of five thousand years ago. . . . (He :hv s
me the magazine. There is an illustrated article w ssmt ruks
discovered in the Indies. Fragments of sctuptxrt: a Kan's
head, a lion's head.} Personally I prefer Praidreles. . . .
MYSELF : Speaking of ruins, have you seen the tombs
which they have discovered near the site of Ur ?
CLEMEXCEAU : Xo, but I must tel: you that I have no
confidence in Ur.
MYSELF : In those tombs they found, round the dead
king, his wives, his soldiers, his coachmen, his horse . . .
all butchered.
CLEMEXCEAU : That's very nice. It's from these
people that we're descended. Doesn't it annoy you to be
a man ?
MYSELF: What would you like to be? A praying
mantis ? She eats her lover. That's no better.
CLEMEXCEAU : But I believe that man is the only animal
who kills without reason or for reasons which are more or
less metaphysical. He's a kind of buffoon ! \Vhen you
leave this world you ought to breathe a sigh.
MYSELF : That's called yielding up the spirit.
CLEMEXCEAU : There is a very pretty allegorical picture
to be drawn from that: 'Lord, here is my spirit. It
embarrasses me and in the long run it even disgusts me a
little.' There is neither sense nor cleanliness except in
complete extinction,
MYSELF : Do you know that I have decided to go and
celebrate the Capture of the Bastille with you in the
Vendee? . . .
CLEMEXCEAU : Good idea ! We'll light the lanterns.
MYSELF : There is one thing that puzzles me : I should
like to know whether, if the Bastille were to be retaken,
you would have it back. . , .
Xs answer.